Long Island Maritime Student Pleads Not Guilty In Fatal, DWI Crash

NORTH BABYLON, NY — A North Babylon resident and Maritime Academy student who was charged last month in a Maine car crash, killing four and injuring two others, has pleaded not guilty in court on Monday, Hancock County District Attorney Robert Granger confirmed with Patch.

Joshua Gonclaves-Radding, 20, faces 17 charges, including four counts of manslaughter, five counts of aggravated OUI, two counts of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, three counts of driving to endanger and one count each of criminal speeding, forgery and unlawful use of a license, officials said.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges, Granger said.

Gonclaves-Radding was indicted by a grand jury last month after investigators concluded he was speeding and under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, officials said.

The academy student was driving a 2013 Range Rover around 2 a.m. on Dec. 10 in the small town of Castine, Maine, when the car crashed into a tree and burst into flames.

Police believe that "speed and alcohol were factors in the crash" and that the vehicle was traveling between 106 mph and 111 mph before the crash.

Four passengers who were also students all died, police said. They were identified as Brian Kenealy, 20, of York, Maine; Chase Fossett, 21, of Gardiner, Maine; Luke Simpson, 22, of Rockport, Massachusetts; and Riley Ignacio-Cameron, 20, of Aquinnah, Massachusetts.

Goncalves-Radding and two other students were taken to hospitals with serious injuries, an indictment said.

He posted $5,000 cash bail and was released on strict conditions on Monday, Granger said.

His next court appearance, a case disposition conference, is set for August 11.